Department Store

Robert Howard is the newest partner in the Retail and Consumer Products Group at management consulting firm Kurt Salmon.

New York -- Jos. A. Bank Clothiers on Tuesday came under criticism from BeaconLight Capital LLC, which owns more than 1% of the men’s apparel chain. In an open letter to the company’s board, the investment manager called for a reorganization of the retailer's board and return of cash to shareholders, preferably through buy-backs.

Weehawken, N.J. — The Swatch Group Ltd. has announced the expansion of its Tourbillon Boutique network into Seattle, Dallas and Las Vegas.

The Seattle location, in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, features The Swatch Group Service Center. In Dallas, Tourbillon Boutique will open its first Texas location at NorthPark Center. In Las Vegas, the boutique will relocate to a 3,800-sq.-ft. space in The Shops at Crystals.

Hilton Head Island, S.C. — SERG Restaurant Group has announced that it has signed a letter of intent to create of a new restaurant for Shelter Cove Town Center. The concept for the new restaurant has been in development for three years and will open in 2014. Details were not announced.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s Department Stores has donated $2 million throughout a three-year period to the Milwaukee Art Museum to continue the Kohl’s Art Generation program, a youth art education initiative.

Washington, D.C. -- Following negative numbers in four of the last five months, import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to grow 1.7% in August over the same month last year and should continue to see gains through the holiday season and the remainder of 2013, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. The year is expected to end with a 2.4% increase over 2012.

J.C. Penney said activist investor Bill Ackman resigned from the company’s board and was replaced by former Federated Department Stores executive Ron Tysoe.

New York -- J.C. Penney Co. announced that activist investor and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has resigned from the board of directors of the company, effective Aug. 12. His resignation comes in the wake of a very public and heated campaign in which he called for the ouster of Penney interim CEO Myron Ullman and chairman Thomas Engibous.